Saturday, October 31, 2009

While the sun was slow to peek out during our camping trip at San Clemente State Beach, the kids really didn’t mind the grayness once it started to warm up. (The one day it rained on the beach, our shivering kids were NOT happy.)

We played the usual games of being chased by the surf, trying to grab rocks when the tide pulled back and building sand forts. The larger fort, which was decorated with our hard-earned rocks, lasted a long time before the tide came in.

On the last full day, I went on a long walk past Trestles, the famous surf beach. When I came back, Seth had figured out how to find sand crabs. Before long we had a large group of kids playing catch and release.

Friday, October 30, 2009

My kids are getting very good at keeping themselves busy – probably to avoid being henpecked – when we go camping. While mom slept and the rooster worked on food or some other task, the kids decided to build a bird’s nest.

I was so impressed with the result, I took the last three eggs out of the cooler and took a few photos. I’m also glad the kids are learning how to crack a yolk. (By the way, the kids say the egg came before the chicken.)

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Arizona decidedly is not the best place to climb trees. Weak limbs and sharp thorns are not the best combination. The campground we chose has one of the finest collection of wind-swept climbing trees I have ever seen.

The trees also kept the campground cool in the heat and the ground dry in the rain.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Although the ocean is the prime attraction at San Clemente State Beach, gray skies led to more walks and climbing during this trip. Seth and Lael just couldn’t pass up on the slot canyons, sandstone formations and treacherous stairs leading up to private residences.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Well, I’m still married. That’s what I tell friends when they ask how went our big camping trip at San Clemente State Beach. You see, it’s the first time my wife ever slept outdoors in a tent with me (and the kids.)

Of course, I worked hard to make sure everything was in my favor:

Running toilets

Reasonably warm showers

Big, new tent

Cozy king-sized sleeping bag

Ocean view

Nearby city

Lots and lots of good camp food

Chocolate for all

Lots and lots of marshmallows

Lots to do

Perhaps my biggest failing? I forgot the wine. But, that’s why we had the city nearby. Trader Joe’s was about 3 miles away. Wine problem solved.

Actually, the biggest threat was two and a half days of nighttime rain. My wife was ready to bag it at one point, but I said, “It will clear up.”

Fortunately, it did and we ended the trip with two gorgeous days.

There are too many photos to show at once, so I’m going to spread them out over a couple days.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

One thing about big business, it usually knows what is in its best interest. Perhaps that’s why PepsiCo is backing away from the Smart Choices labeling program, according to The New York Times.

Smart Choices is a voluntary food labeling system in which a green checkmark can be put on products that qualify as “healthy.” I use quote marks because Froot Loops and other high-sugar products won the right to use the green checkmark.

It’s my guess that corporate pressure is also the reason Smart Choices is suspending most its operations until the Food and Drug Administration reveals its own front-of-the box labeling plan, as I mentioned in a recent post. “I regard it as a partial victory,” Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal tells the Times.

Indeed. Some brands, such as Kraft, plan to continue using the logo for the time being. But it’s nice to know that some companies, like PepsiCo have decided to stop insulting its customers when it comes to the Smart Choices logo.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

When it comes to deceptive marketing, you have to give the food industry credit for sheer balls. Did manufacturers really think they could create a labeling system that considered Cocoa Krispies and Froot Loops a “Smart Choice?”

Apparently so, but it seems the Food and Drug Administration is (sort 0f) running out of patience. The agency announced this week it will consider setting standards for front-of-the-package nutrition labels, reports The New York Times. One possible outcome: those labels will contain bad news about the food products instead of only happy half-truths.

Apparently, the FDA is interested in a British labeling system that mimics traffic symbols for fat, saturated fats, sugars and salt. The system has been successful in England and Australia according to Grist.

I’m going to guess that Cocoa Krispies and Froot Loops would receive a red light for sugar, but any system would be enhanced if unrefined starches and excessive chemical content were also rated.

One flagrant flaw in the FDA’s move is that such reporting would be voluntary. Only those companies wanting to use the FDA system, which could be in place by the end of the year, would have to follow the agency’s rules.

Under such a system, it’s likely that manufacturers will only sign up if they make healthy products, which will invalidate the entire worth of the stoplight system. The FDA giveth hope; the FDA taketh hope.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

During the drive home from a recent camping trip, which I’ll be posting photos from soon, I thought about buying a pre-made sandwich at a gas station. Even though I was starving, I decided to pass noting the sorry-looking bread and lettuce.

Good thing, too, because I missed the Food and Drug Administration’s unusually strong action to shut down one of the companies that provides ready-to-eat sandwiches, according to the San Francisco Business Times.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed on DadTalk are the author(s) and the author(s) alone. We make no warranties on the accuracy of the information. Any personal or financial decisions you make based on the information presented on this website are YOUR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY ONLY.